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November 2012

November 27, 2012

Yesterday (Tuesday, Nov 27) was the last day of pressing tanks
for the 2012 harvest. For us here in the cellar, it means harvest is
now officially over (i.e. no more working weekends)! Here is our happy,
tired crew of incredibly dedicated and hard-working folks
who kept us all laughing each day as we crushed a record breaking 901
Tons this season. We’re all excited about the fantastic quality of the
2012 wines and look forward to sharing them with you.

November 16, 2012

Last night, I visited the brand new Green Music Center at Sonoma State University for the first time, and was frankly blown away.

It is a state of the art, 150-million dollar facility, complete with retracting walls for outdoor performances, that will no doubt draw world-class talent and a lot of visitors to an agricultural corner of Rohnert Park.

But what blew me away was the tiny woman with the huge voice who put the venue's killer acoustics on display.

Buika is the Spanish daughter of political refugees from Equatorial Guinea. She
grew up in a gypsy neighborhood of Mallorca, and her music is born from
traditional flamenco, but as you have never heard it, laced with jazz,
blues and Afro Caribbean rhythms. But the thing is, she has this voice
that demands your full attention, even if you can't understand spanish.

From the moment she walked on stage, with only a pianist and a percussionist supporting her, she filled the space completely and bewitched everyone in the room. Her voice has ridiculous range and tremendous power, and yet is full of tenderness, heartache and emotion. I've never heard anything quite like it, and I haven't yet found an online clip that conveys it sufficiently. I get the sense that this is an artist that is best seen live, and strongly suggest you check her out if she comes to a venue anywhere near you.

Buika is performing a sold out show in San Francisco tonight that I was
disappointed to miss, until I was very happily surprised to learn I had
the option to see her perform at Sonoma State the night before. I will most definitely add the Green Center to my list of venue calendars to be checking regularly, and look forward to the opportunity to see more top performers in the area. Now we just need to work on getting some life into the audiences...I guarantee the crowd in SF tonight will be dancing, shouting and clapping along with Buika in a way that would've shocked the polite, well-heeled guests at last night's show.

And for a totally different entry in the realm of recent surprises and revelations....

I recently received an email with the following recipe from the wife of our newest staff member. When Bill Shenas joined Gundlach Bundschu as our new sales manager (welcome Bill!), his wife Sandi threw him a surprise party with a fully 'Gun Bunned' menu - not only were GB wines on the table, they were used to prepare each dish in the meal.

The hit of the night was apparently a French Onion soup made with 2011 Gewurztraminer. (I was relieved to learn only a half cup was sacrificed in the process, and far more was enjoyed as its accompaniment.) Sounds like a possible addition to my Thanksgiving menu this year....

Have a great holiday everyone!

Ingredients:

1 pound White Onions,
large dice

1 pound Sweet Onions,
large dice

4 Cloves Garlic,
minced

2 T. Butter

2 T. Olive Oil (plus
more Olive Oil or Olive Oil spray for croutons)

1 t. Sugar

1 – 2 t. Salt, or to
taste

1 T. Flour

1 t. Dried Thyme (or
Oregano)

2 Bay Leaves

1/2 cup Gundlach
Bundschu Gewürztraminer

4 cups Beef Stock

1 1/2 cups Water

1/2 t. Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Sherry
Vinegar

1/2 Loaf of Italian
Bread or Baguette

1/2 cup finely
grated Gruyère Cheese

4 T. Grated
Parmesan Cheese

1. First of all,
make the croutons without too much drama. I like to cut the bread
into one-inch cubes – that’s part of the “easy to eat” platform. Simply
spray (or toss) them with olive oil, place on a flat cookie sheet, and
bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Give them a quick toss, and
continue baking until they are golden brown. After they cool, wrap them
in several layers of aluminum foil. They will keep indefinitely.

2. For the non-string-inducing cheese topping: Mix
the finely grated Gruyère with the finely grated Parmesan, set aside.

3. In a large stock pot, melt the butter and add the olive
oil. Add the onions and season with 1 – 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook over
medium heat for 10 minutes, then stir. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar, reduce
the heat and cook for another 10 minutes at low heat. Add the
garlic. Continue to cook the onion/garlic mixture for 40 minutes or
longer, stopping to stir the mixture and check for browning every 10 minutes.
Cook until they onions are very soft and a deep golden brown.

4. Add the flour, thyme or oregano, bay leaves, and
pepper. Stir over medium-high heat for two minutes.

5. Add the wine, stock, and water. Stir until the
mixture simmers, then allow to simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Check
back and stir the mixture every 10 minutes.

6. Remove the Bay leaves, and give the soup its final
“zing” by adding a generous Tablespoon of Sherry Vinegar.

7. When ready to serve, heat the soup to a simmer and divide
among bowls. Spread a pile of croutons out over each bowl, and top with
your finely grated cheese mixture. Broil until the cheese is melted and
bubbly, and serve your “easy to eat, non-string-inducing” delicious French
Onion Soup with a chilled glass of Gundlach Bundschu Gewürztraminer.
Enjoy!

November 12, 2012

This time of year, it seems every wine writer does the obligatory article about the ideal wines to pair with the traditional Thanksgiving menu. Haven't we resolved this one yet, can't we all agree that Dry Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir are the perfect wines for your table and move on to the really controversial topic...STUFFING.

Yes, stuffing. Not 'dressing.' Even the damn name is controversial.

For the last 20 years, I've hosted large groups of wine-loving adults for a potluck Thanksgiving, and not one has ever disputed the wine pairing. But emotions run high when we try to decide who is going to bring the stuffing.

Cornbread vs. Wheat bread. Pork, oyster, chestnut, vegetarian or vegan. In the bird or in a tray. Every one of my friends has passionate, specific, inflexible opinion on what constitutes the best Thanksgiving stuffing.

We resolve it by having everyone bring their own, which usually means four or five trays, and yes, it gets competitive. But there's no contest. Mine is always gone first. Granted, I can eat more than anyone.

Years ago, Nancy Bundschu shared her traditional recipe with wine club members. It sounds delicious, and I've always wanted to make it on another occasion, but uh, yeah, there is no way I am testing that out on Thanksgiving.

Our recipes are below. Like you care.
Please tell us what makes YOUR stuffing recipe the ideal pairing for Turkey & Gewurztraminer.

Cover and bake at 400 for 15 minutes.
Uncover, bake an addition 15 minutes or until browned. Or follow cooking
instructions for the weight of your bird, always making sure your
stuffing is throughly cooked inside the cavity of the bird.

Boil broth and butter as directed on the stuffing package. Saute the onions in olive oil until soft, then add the sausage and cook thoroughly while breaking it up into a fine mince. Add stuffing to broth and combine well, then add sausage and onion and combine well. Yes, include all the drippings, it is Thanksgiving. Bake in the bird or in a covered tray, as you wish.